


Overclocking

by Starofwinter



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-23 01:28:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17673812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: "Do androids have panic attacks?"





	Overclocking

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by my New And Improved anxiety dreams.

Connor doesn’t need to breathe.

He knows that.  

For some reason though, he can’t stop the way the simulation - added to make humans more comfortable with him, and as an aid in cooling his systems - is working faster than normal, his chest heaving as he struggles to gain control of it again. 

His internal fans are loud, even from his external sensors, trying to keep up with the way his processors are racing, and every new byte of input is overwhelming to them.  

The thirium pump in his chest is running faster than he can remember it working, and he tries to blink away the alerts that it’s at dangerous levels.

The world tilts, and he doesn’t remember sitting down, but he is now, and everything flickers in and out - there’s no reason for his optical units to stop working, and that only sends his CPU into a harder overdrive.

_ “Connor!” _

There are hands on his, and he slumps into the touch.   _ Hank Anderson.  Relationship status: Friend. _ _ Safe. _

“Christ, kid, you’re burning up, what’s going on?”  

Connor tries to respond, but the only sound that comes out is broken static.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.  Can you look at me?” Hank sounds worried, but his hands are careful as he tilts Connor’s head up, cupping his cheek.  “Focus on me for a minute, okay? You’re fine, everything’s fine.” 

The effort almost feels like too much, but Hank is blocking out everything else, and it starts to feel easier to focus solely on him.  Connor’s pump starts to slow down to its normal speed, and so do his internal fans. Gradually, the static in his optics fades away, and he looks up at Hank.  “What happened?” he finally asks, and Hank shakes his head.

“Fuck, I don’t know.  Do androids have panic attacks?  That’s what it looked like.”

“We were designed without the ability to become anxious.”

“Yeah, and you were designed without free will too, but look where that got us.”  Hank’s rough chuckle makes Connor feel somewhat better.

“Are you familiar with panic attacks, Hank?”

Hank huffs and bumps their shoulders together, a show of familiarity and fondness.  “Yeah, real familiar. I get ‘em sometimes. Listen, you ever start feeling like that again, you can tell me.  It’s easier if you catch it early.”

Connor smiles and nods.  “Thank you, Hank.”

When Hank ruffles his hair, Connor doesn’t let it fall back into place like it’s designed to.  “Anytime, kid.” 


End file.
